


Deal

by VisionaryGalaxy



Series: A Thousand Futures of Me and You [115]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Boys In Love, Cute, Don't copy to another site, Insecurity, Light Angst, M/M, Protective Tony Stark, Secret Relationship, Short & Sweet, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-02-25 22:59:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18711421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VisionaryGalaxy/pseuds/VisionaryGalaxy
Summary: “I wish we could do this in a better way,” Tony commented, a half smile on his face.





	Deal

   “You look great.”

   Stephen grimaced at his reflection, trembling fingers smoothing down the front of the suit, tugging self-consciously at the bottom, fiddling nervously with the sleeve cuffs Tony had helped fasten.

   He did look good, there was no denying that. The suit was specially tailored to his body, hugging him in all the right places, expensive without being flashy. It sat on him like a well-worn glove and the carefully chosen shade of blue highlighted his eyes in a way that was sure to draw gazes. It was a familiar picture, the man staring back at him, albeit with more grey in his hair and lines on his face.

   No, his expression had nothing to do with how he looked and everything to do with the rush of emotions raging through him as he confronted a part of himself, he thought long gone. It was eerie, like a seeing a ghost, to find himself here, feeling naked without the many layers of his tunic or the comforting embrace of his Cloak.

   “Hey,” an arm wrapped around his waist, Tony coming to press against his side, watching him in the full-length mirror. “Everything is going to go fine, I promise.”

   Stephen bit back his reply, that there was no way for Tony to know that. Instead he gave a brief nod, a tight smile. Together they were…incredibly handsome, no doubts about it. Both of them clad in suits, hair slicked and styled, simple watches glinting on their wrists, an air of arrogant superiority that took no effort to achieve.

   A power couple. A _persona_.

   Stephen felt a little sick at the realization. In thirty minutes, he would walk side by side with Tony into one of the most prestigious galas in the world, his photo taken thousands of times, people with champagne and fake laughter, sleezy business men and women, and whispers, so many whispers.

   It would be the first time since disappearing to Kamar-Taj that he would be re-introduced to the world as Dr. Stephen Strange. He could already predict the rumors, the looks that would be flashed their way, ignorance making itself known. Some would think himself Tony’s toy, fascinating because of his intellect but more use in bed. Some would assume that Stephen had resorted to prostituting himself. Others, more fanciful would excitedly try to start rumors that they must have been old flames rekindled.

   Because he wasn’t just going to be Stephen Strange. No, Tony was going to use this event to make their relationship known to the world, the press. It was impossible to miss the excitement swimming in Tony’s eyes, who had been wanting this since their third bloody date, to stake his claim publicly and vice versa. It didn’t change the fact that, three years in, he wasn’t sure if he was _ready_.

   He didn’t like what he saw in the mirror at that moment. The thought of returning to that life, one where glamour and fake smiles was the way forward, the one where Stephen was known only for his arrogance and skill, rightfully so, but still. It was a persona he needed to adopt tonight, no matter how much he detested it.

   They had to play their parts in the public eye. Tony had a reputation to maintain and Stephen had to play a version of himself that couldn’t _possibly_ be the man rumored to have helped save the world during the crisis of Thanos, though they must look remarkably similar. It was a lot.

   “You ok?”

   Stephen’s eyes met Tony’s in the mirror. The excitement had dimmed some, replaced with a concern that warmed his heart. He carefully took one of Tony’s hands in his, squeezing gently, “nervous,” he murmured.

   Tony leaned his head on Stephen’s shoulder, “we could-”

   “We can’t, we really can’t,” Stephen cut him off with a weak chuckle.

   It was true. It couldn’t be delayed any longer, for a variety of reasons, not with the gossip that had been circulating with increasing frequency. He forgot how much the trashy news sites liked to talk, about Tony’s mystery man, about the mysterious sorcerer spotted on Bleeker St, about the mysterious whereabout of Dr. Strange.

   Ridiculous all of it, but at least revealing one would distract from the others. Kamar-Taj were getting antsy and by making a statement in which he most certainly was _not_ the apparent sorcerer to the journalist planted in the crowd, things might ease some.

   “I wish we could do this in a better way,” Tony commented, a half smile on his face.

   Stephen raised an eyebrow, “and what would that entail?”

   Tony shrugged, “I don’t know. We could have done the whole dinner with a stranger who is definitely a friend until they are caught making out in the bushes outside the restaurant thing.”

   Stephen’s frowned at him, “uh, please tell me you never actually did that?”

   “Nah, but it does sound like me, doesn’t it?”

   Stephen thought it wiser not to answer that, instead finally turning away from the mirror to look into Tony’s smiling eyes, “I love you.”

   Tony shook his head a bit, leaning up to press a gentle kiss to Stephen’s lips, soft and unhurried as they breathed each other in, languid in a way that made Stephen want to stay right in that spot all night.

   But of course, he had to pull away. Tony offered his own comforting squeeze to his hand, “we’ll go, be seen, get it over with and then I promise when we get home, I’ll freeze everything for the weekend, just you and me.”

   Stephen knew the duel motive behind those words. Tony was putting up a pretty solid front, but he knew his lover was as nervous as him, afraid that the sudden return to the spotlight, the additional attention and inevitable criticism would send him running, claiming it all to be too much. Tony wanted to stay with him to reassure him, and Stephen was certain that he never loved someone this much before and in truth, that was scarier than any reporter.

   For the first time, Stephen offered Tony a genuine smile, as he pecked him on the lips once more, “deal,” he whispered. Confident that he could handle just about anything with Tony firmly at his side.

**Author's Note:**

> Ugh I know that one scene in Endgame was super sad but fucking hell Ben in that suit is all I ever needed in my life. I think the grey sides as Strange, are what made it stand out from the ones he wears to premiers ;)


End file.
